Day 60: first impressions of Istanbul

We've only been here for a few hours, but holy... Istanbul is gorgeous! Starving after our marathon trip, I took a little stroll to get a kebab from the shop across the street, and check out the neighborhood. Our hotel is wedged into a little lane filled with businesses selling car parts. While I was eating my kebab, a man wheeled up his pedal powered knife sharpener, and the kebab guy have him 2 knives to work on. Our hotel faces the Topkapi Palace wall, and on the other side, there's a beautiful little park.

The air is clear and crisp, like New England in fall. It's a little slice of heaven.